New Beginnings
by Clux
Summary: CHAPTER 13 up at last! Marguerite finds out Roxton's secret, Challenger, Finn and Malone must find a way out, Veronica is trapped, will any of them escape?
1. Confusion

Series 3 and that cliff-hanger were just too much!! I couldn't help myself; I just had to write the sequel!!  
  
CHAPTER 1  
*CONFUSION*  
  
His heart pumped. The warm air brushed past his wet body. The dampness in the air enclosed him; he was trapped. He could hear the crunching and grinding beneath his racing feet, the earth swayed to and fro in front of him. Refreshing rain poured down to embrace his muscular body. Now they stood before him. He had reached his forbidden bounds. The world stood still while the darkness swallowed him whole.  
  
A smooth sensation ran the length of his sweaty body. The silken touch was a warm wake up call. He turned over and saw her. The woman of his dreams lay next to him, her loving eyes and beautiful smile. He stared and gently caressed his hands over her sleek yet curving hips and thighs. Her sweet breath penetrated his face. Her enticing lips called out to him until he couldn't help himself any longer. The soft touch of their lips seduced him distinctly as temptation took over their entangled bodies. He could feel her heart beating gently in her chest as he lay over her tender body. He wanted to be with her forever, to care for her and be there for her. He knew they were meant to be together. "I love you," he whispered. The cool touch of the cotton bed sheets brought them back into the world, followed by the call of a familiar voice.  
  
"Marguerite, Roxton, breakfast. You've got a long day ahead you two. I hope you're packed, we're leaving at sunrise."  
  
The shock set in, they were back, or was this just a dream. Where were they going at sunrise?  
  
"Mmm, where are we?" Marguerite murmured as she awoke.  
  
She opened her eyes to see Roxton above her. He was staring into space with a solemn look on his face.  
  
"John?" she said, half whispering.  
  
He was silent. She sat up and twisted round to where he sat. She hesitated, and then curled her arms around him. He immediately woke from his trance.  
  
"You saved me," she said affectionately, a beautiful smile spreading across her face.  
  
"What? From who?"  
  
"The Druids, don't you remember?" she questioned as she stood up.  
  
"What Druids?"  
  
"The Druids that came for tea and scones yesterday afternoon" she started to shout sarcastically, "which Druids do you think?"  
  
"Look Marguerite, I have no idea what you're talking about, right now I have much more important things on my mind."  
  
Marguerite looked away, the smile wiped from her face.  
  
"Where did you go yesterday after I lost you through that. that time warp?"  
  
"Look Roxton, I told you, the Druids wanted to kill me because I was some kind of witch who was brewing up a storm to end the world. You saved me, you must have."  
  
"I didn't save you, I was too busy looking after those pirates who wanted me dead."  
  
"Then who did?" she asked quickly.  
  
They wondered out into the Treehouse to find Veronica and Malone together around the table eating breakfast.  
  
They sat down at the table, looking at each other, confused.  
  
"Well you two look like you had a good night last night," joked Veronica, looking at Marguerite's torn dress and Roxton's poor excuse for a pair of trousers. "What happened?"  
  
Neither of them knew how to answer, Marguerite just looked away embarrassed. Had last night's events just been a dream, everyone else was just acting normal.  
  
They laughed it off.  
  
Challenger came out of his room looking very excited. "I had the most amazing dream last night. I dreamt I was in a white room where machines had completely taken over the world. That is cybergenetics for you. I will have to study this in my quazilinkmated area followed by some programming of interclamined studies. This could be a serious breakthrough in science, technology and even world peace." He looked around. "My Gosh, Malone you're back".  
  
"Challenger, back from where?" asked Veronica, "Are you feeling alright?"  
  
The room was silent. Roxton spoke first.  
  
"And you're sure this was a dream?"  
  
"Well, certainly, it all felt very real, come to think about it, I can even remember how I felt, but that is neuro-science for you, and that my friends is a whole different story."  
  
"Wait." Marguerite paused. "Doesn't anyone remember what really happened yesterday? The time warping in the forest? Not to mention the fact that Malone went to find his own way off the Plateau about two months ago?"  
  
"How do you know about that? That was in my dream." Said Challenger somewhat disillusioned.  
  
"That's what we're trying to tell you," cried Roxton, standing up to make his point. "Something happened yesterday, something big, and none of us can remember."  
  
Silence grew around the room. A simple knock from someone inside the elevator was enough to make everyone in the room jump out of their seats.  
  
"Who's there?" shouted Veronica, suspiciously as always.  
  
Two people appeared. They were dressed in grey-brown gowns. They were long, down to their feet. There was a man and a woman. They both had jet-black hair covered by a large hood. Their faces were serious. Veronica stood poised and ready for battle. She waited for a prompt. The two figures stood silent for a moment and then they spoke. Just a few words, but apparently they were enough. Marguerite stood with a look of pure horror on her face. She was lifeless. For moments she stood there, frozen to the spot. Then something clicked. "Let them stay. I remember," she bellowed. She made a dash for her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. The group looked at each other, their confused faces searching for answers. Not another secret.  
  
Roxton ran after her, opened the door and saw her on the edge of her bed. Her face was streaked with tears.  
  
"John," she wept. She flung her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. She was hysterical by now. He had no idea what they had said to her but he knew that whatever it was, she would tell him when, and only when, she was ready. For the moment all he could do was hold her tight and attempt to comfort her.  
  
"It's them," was all she could seem to say.  
  
"Who, who is it?" Roxton answered calmly.  
  
"My. my.it's my.." She couldn't bring herself to say it. "Parents," she yelled at last.  
  
"What, you're parents, well that's great!" cried Roxton. Realising his mistake, he quickly covered himself, "I mean, you've always wanted to find your real parents, you're birth certificate, that's why you came here in the first place. Isn't it?"  
  
"You don't understand. I remember now."  
  
"Remember what?"  
  
"I remember who saved me last night. It wasn't you, it was them."  
  
Roxton was now more confused than ever. He let her continue.  
  
~*****~  
  
Well that's all you're gonna get for now, Chapter 2 on the way very, very shortly!! So R&R, tell me what you liked, what you hated (constructively of course!! ;-) ) Then Chapter 2 can be even better! YAY! 


	2. Rescue

Well hi again guys! This is Chapter 2 (at last!) Thanks so much to people who did R&R, it was really helpful, so keep up the good R&R-ing! Hope you like it!  
  
CHAPTER 2  
*RESCUE*  
  
"HELP, HELP, NO, ROXTON, HELP."  
  
"Stop, she belongs to us."  
  
"What?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"She belongs to us, let her go, the world needs to be ended, the plateau runs in cycles, there has to be a new protector."  
  
~*****~  
  
"They killed them Roxton, they killed the Druids that were trying to kill me."  
  
"So why are they here now?" he asked, puzzled.  
  
~*****~  
  
Marguerite watched the mysterious shield of light disappear into the distance. They were back, but where was Roxton?  
  
"Let me go, I don't belong to you, I don't belong to anyone."  
  
"You belong to your parents, they need you now."  
  
"You know my parents?" she said with some inquisition.  
  
"Yes, and they need you."  
  
She stopped and thought for a moment "I have no parents, and I've survived pretty well my whole life without them, so I don't think I need them now thank you very much."  
  
"You don't know the whole story."  
  
"I think I know pretty well, we don't want our child, lets send her away, to boarding school, no love, no family, nothing." She stopped, shocked at herself and what she had just said. "Now thank you very much for everything, but I really should be going now," she said with some vigour.  
  
She pulled to free herself from their grasp but their grip just tightened on her shoulders. She flinched and collapsed her body down onto the dampened forest floor. Her hair covered her face; she lay staring at the ground.  
  
"Look, we know you're surprised. But no coincidences, remember? And that birth mark." A man reached to pull her shirt off of her shoulder.  
  
"Get off me."  
  
"Stop," one of the men ordered. "We'll sit down here," he paused, "and we'll have to tell her everything."  
  
"I don't want to know, the only thing I care about is. Roxton, where's John? And Challenger, Veronica, Finn? Help them."  
  
"Are these your friends."  
  
"Family". She stopped again. They were her family. The only family she had ever had.  
  
"We will make a deal then," one man began. "We need you and you want them to be safe."  
  
"Yes"  
  
"If you come with us, I will save your friends tonight."  
  
"You mean they're all in danger, how, where? Help them."  
  
"So we have a deal?"  
  
"No we don't have a deal. I don't even know who you are yet. How can you expect me to trust you? How do I know you'll save them?"  
  
"Marguerite, your whole life has been destined here, to come back to your parents, don't you understand, they love you, and need you."  
  
"That's right, they love you when they want something, just like everybody else in this bloody world." She thought of Roxton for a moment, he was different, she would miss him unbearably. Tears started to roll down her cheeks. She buried her head on her lap and closed her eyes. She could picture him now, and those last moments they had spent together. She didn't know where she had been or where she was now, but she could just picture his face. She laughed but bit her lip at the thought of those pirates he had been telling her about. The thought of him made her happy again, he made her forget everything: her worries, her sins, her lies. Now she was scared and alone, with big decisions to make. She needed him with her; she needed him now more than ever before.  
  
One of the men tried to comfort her. "Marguerite, the only reason they gave you up was because of the fighting here, the war. I'm sure if you saw them."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it," she interrupted.  
  
"I'm going to have to tell you whether you like it or not, but it's up to you whether you decide to listen."  
  
~*****~  
  
"Did you listen?" asked Roxton, intently listening to every word Marguerite had to say. He desperately wanted her to get to the point.  
  
"Did a have a bloody choice?" she replied with a harshness in her voice. She calmed down and then, "Sorry. I'm sorry."  
  
She fell into his arms again and stayed there, her head pressed against his chest. He held her, trying to comfort her. He knew what 'sorry' meant; he knew she'd agreed to go. His heart sank. What would he do without her? He wouldn't let her go, he couldn't, but how could he stop her from seeing her parents? How could he be the one to take away her dreams, her life's ambition to find out who she really was? Finally he answered her, "So what did they say.about your parents?"  
  
~*****~  
  
"Your mother and father are Druids like us. They are the priest and priestess of our assembly. They took over our group after the last cycle of the Plateau. Your mother's mother was in charge before that. Your mother and father were already married when it was their turn to rule. They already had you, and." he paused to look at her face, he decided to save that news for later. "You see, we belong in the Land of the Protector. We saved the Protector long ago, but the others took her from us. Another protector was put in her place after she escaped and went back to the real world."  
  
"Veronica? .You know a way off the Plateau?"  
  
"So you are listening, I thought you might after I mentioned the way off, you're just like your mother!" the man said with a mocking tone. Marguerite gave him a grin, if only a tiny one, it was definitely there. He saw this and continued, "Well yes, I believe she did know the way off, but no one knows for sure. The thing we do know is that even if she did get off the Plateau, no one else has ever found it, well no one in our collection anyway, and I doubt anyone else has either. It's the biggest secret there is and probably ever will be. And yes I do believe someone called Veronica was due to success her mother tonight, do you know her?"  
  
"She saved us when we landed here, we've lived in her Treehouse for years." She stopped. Why was she telling them all this. She looked back down at the floor, thinking about Veronica. "What happened to her mother?" she asked.  
  
"Well no one knows that for sure either, she disappeared, personally I believe it was the others again. You see, they have a problem with the rotation of the Plateau. They don't believe in it. They don't think it should have to happen, so they hate the Protectors. Now because of this, I have some bad news."  
  
"Veronica?"  
  
"No.I'm afraid it's your mother." Marguerite looked up at him at last. Then she thought. Why am I concerned, she abandoned me, they all did. He continued, "Because she is the leader of our community, when a war starts, she must abdicate her roll. Unfortunately, tomorrow night a war will start."  
  
"How do you know that, psychic are we?" she asked sarcastically.  
  
"Your mother, she has dreams. Have you ever had dreams Marguerite?"  
  
She hesitated. "Yes", she whispered softly.  
  
"Look, your mother needs you to take her place, if you can't then the next in line will be Pentanious, a warrior of the other group, as he will start the invasion on our village. We'll all be slaughtered Marguerite, even your mother and father, you have to help us, we need you."  
  
She looked at him, straight in the eyes. She hated her parents, she had hated them ever since she could remember. She thought about when she was a little girl, sitting up on that hill at Avebury, where she could see the whole world. She had wondered where her parents were, and why they had abandoned her. Now, she looked around, she looked at the sea of faces; their longing eyes staring deep into hers. 'They just want me back when they need me.' But deep inside she was urging herself to go through with it. She looked away and then slowly turned her head back towards their avid faces. 'Why should she have to make this kind of decision? '  
  
"OK, OK," she yelled. "I'll do it, but just to save my friends, I told you. But don't think you've got me back in your little tribe."  
  
~*****~  
  
"You saved us?" He was so proud, though his face could only show heartbreaking pain. He knew what was coming, but he had that glint of hope that she had made him possess, and it had sprung from pure love. He wasn't about to let her leave, not now, not ever. He would never leave her.  
  
~*****~  
  
Their smiling faces made her happy, and if just for a moment, her spirits were high and she suddenly sensed a feeling if security. For once in her life she felt she had done something right, and she had done it on her own. The group started to chatter quietly. "Oh, thank you Marguerite," the man cried. He cleared his throat and the assembly was quiet. "There's just one small point we haven't mentioned yet," he paused before continuing, focusing on her eyes, how should he put this? He continued quickly, "You'll have to marry."  
  
She was baffled. "What?"  
  
"You'll have to marry the priest's son, of our neighbouring village." He saw the look on her face and decided to continue quickly before she had chance to speak. "He's a very nice man, most of the women in our villages would give their right arm to be with him. He has alwa." She turned away, he stopped mid-word.  
  
Marguerite was silent. Then she spoke again, this time with another sarcastic tone. "Is there anything else I may need to know about? Nothing else up your sleeve is there?" She turned away. What could she possibly say that would make things any better, albeit, any worse than they already were?  
  
"OK, lets just get this straight. So, you expect me to give up everything I have or ever will have, to come with you, complete strangers, to live in a new village miles away from anywhere, to never see my friends again, and now you want me to marry and probably sleep with a 'nice' man who I've never even seen before?"  
  
"Yes, but.."  
  
"Wait, I haven't finished yet," she interrupted, a now half angry, half sobbing tone in her voice. "All this to save my friends who I endangered in the first place by paying for this bloody expedition, and my parents who gave me up at birth to go and live somewhere far away, in a boarding school, in a place they've probably never even heard of." She paused. "Have I included everything?"  
  
The group was silent. The leader spoke again. He wondered how to put what he had to say next. She didn't seem to be taking all this too well, but then who would. He pondered for a moment. "Erm.I.er," and then, "Look Marguerite, when your mother married your father, she didn't have much choice. They had been pushed together from an early age. The Priestess must always marry the highest available rank from the next village. Just after they had you, the cycle came around again. When the war broke out, they had to begin their rule. They were the targets of our enemies. They already had you. They had a responsibility to send you away to keep you safe, they didn't have any choice." Her face was intent. Now she was listening. "Where you went back to last night was the night of the last rotation, the night that the war broke out between us. That's why they took you. They thought you were your mother. They wanted to kill her, then they could have invaded, taken us, and killed us all. Just like they want to do now, all over again. History repeats itself Marguerite, but only if you let it."  
  
Marguerite sat in silence. All this was just too much. How did she know if she could even trust these people? But right now she had no other option, it was either to go with them, or else her friends would die.  
  
The man saw the heart-rending look on Marguerite's face, how could he do this to someone, especially his Priest's daughter. He made a quick decision in his head. "We'll save your friends. Don't come with us now, stay with your friends, just for tonight. Your parents will come for you in the morning."  
  
~*****~  
  
"You're leaving?" was all Roxton could seem to say. He was so angry and upset, not with her but with everything. He had felt this before, when his brother died, but this was different. At least then he could blame someone, whether it was himself or not. Now, he had nothing, he was emptied of everything he had. Everything was bottled up inside him. He couldn't do anything but wait for time to pass, with their last moments together fading before him. His life would be unbearable without her but he knew he couldn't do anything. Once Marguerite had made a decision, there was no going back.  
  
~  
  
Meanwhile, the other explorers were beginning to get impatient, especially Veronica who had two really strange strangers standing in the hallway of her Treehouse. They were worried and confused about Marguerite and what these strangers had said to her to make her so upset.  
  
She bent over towards Malone and whispered in his ear. "I'll go wake Finn up, she seems to know just about the everything about anything." She turned. "Well, except how to track, but maybe she'll have some bright ideas," she commented happily to herself. Veronica smiled as she wondered over to Finn's bedroom. She was so glad that Finn had become part of their family, like the sister she had never had. As she walked in, she planned how would be the funniest way to wake her up. She made her way to the side of Finn's bed. "Boo," she cried as she lifted up the bed sheets. She laughed, and then shocked, she stepped back. Where was Finn? She ran back out to the others.  
  
"Has anybody seen Finn this morning?" she asked with intent.  
  
"Why, is she missing?" asked Challenger inquisitively.  
  
"Well, she's not in her room," responded Veronica with a worried tone in her voice.  
  
"Oh, look, don't worry," comforted Malone, "You know Finn, she's probably just gone out for a morning stroll or something."  
  
"No, she knows better than to go out by herself." She eyed up the inquiring visitors. 'What are they doing here?' She thought. "Oh, I do hope Roxton and Marguerite come out soon, why are they taking so long?" she mumbled somewhere in Malone's direction. "Maybe Marguerite has some answers."  
  
~  
  
"I can't go out there," whispered Marguerite.  
  
"Yes you can, you have to, we'll see each other again, I know it. Be brave Marguerite. I'll always be here for you." He knew he had to be strong for her. He had to keep going even though his heart was breaking up inside. He knew there was nothing he could do to change anything, this was her fate and it always had been.  
  
"No you won't, you'll just find some other poor unsuspecting woman," she joked desolately as she placed some of her jewels into a bag. "Give it a couple of weeks and you'll have forgotten all about me."  
  
"No, Marguerite, you know that's not true." He tried to hold her as she turned away. "Give yourself some credit for once. I'll never forget about you. And besides, you'll only live a few miles away," he said in a half attempt to comfort Marguerite and himself.  
  
"You know you won't be able to visit," she said coldly. He tried to embrace her again but she still pulled away. Her eyes glazed as she turned from him. She sat down on the edge of her bed, covering her face, hiding her feelings.  
  
"Marguerite." he tried as he sat down next to her.  
  
She raised her voice a little, looking back at his face longingly. "I think," her voice broke with her tears. "I think it would be better if I just went." She looked at him sorrowfully. "I have to go Roxton, please understand," she begged as she stood up, beginning to pace the room. "They're in trouble. I want to do the right thing just once in my life. And my parents." She cut short.  
  
"Of course I understand," he said. "I just don't want to lose you." Roxton looked down at the floor. His eyes began to water as the pain sank in. "I love you Marguerite," he whispered.  
  
She walked back over to him once again and sat down, her back at an angle to him. He ran his hand over her shoulder. This time she didn't flinch. He moved his hands lower and wrapped them around her waist. She lay into his arms, looking up at him longingly. She needed him to help her, but she knew that this time nobody could save her.  
  
Roxton looked deep into Marguerite's eyes. Now he knew. He knew who Marguerite was, who her parents were, he knew who had saved them last night, and now he knew just how much he really loved her. He loved her now more than ever before. He held her hands tightly. He knew that she had chosen to do the right thing. It would be so hard without her in his arms, without her to talk to and laugh with every day. As tears started to role down her cheeks, he took her into his arms and ran his fingers through her glossy hair. She could see the pain on his face, the tears on his cheeks. Marguerite couldn't help but give in to him. She carefully wiped away his tears with her soft hand, and slowly moved into him as he changed his position. He embraced her warmly as their lips gently touched. She held him tightly, his body gently pressed into hers. She pressed her cheek against his and gently whispered in his ear. "I love you."  
  
~  
  
The others waited patiently in the awkward silence. Veronica, desperately tired of all the silence, tried to think of something to say. They wanted some answers but the questions were just too hard to ask. For a start, no one knew whether the guests even spoke English, and secondly Marguerite seemed to know exactly who they were yet they had upset her greatly. Finally, the silence was broken.  
  
"So, who are you? Why are you here?" Veronica spoke slowly, as though she were patronising them a little. She had just made a wild stab in the dark, thought of a question and hoped they would understand. But to their surprise one of them answered. Their words were clear and correct.  
  
"We're here to collect Marguerite, she's our daughter."  
  
Their simple words hit the explorers with a bang. For moments they all stood shocked, questions running through their heads. Marguerite's parents? How? Why?  
  
Veronica replied at last, "Oh". What else could she say; no one knew what to say.  
  
They spoke again. "It's a lovely home you have here, Veronica. Your parents would be proud of the way you live, you were very brave."  
  
Veronica stared hard at them. "How do you know about my parents? How do you know my name?" she inquired a little harshly.  
  
The woman spoke again, her voice seemed a little apprehensive. "Oh, sorry I didn't mean to scare you, it's just that we come from the Land of the Protector. We know everything about you, we knew about your mother too and beyond that. You do know you're the protector now, don't you?"  
  
"What?" she answered, but suddenly Veronica saw a picture flash through her mind. There was lightning, pain and roaring thunder. Then darkness. She was scared by this image and tried to put it aside, but it kept coming back. This time she saw a triangle, a necklace, the one she had on, but it was glowing. It was glowing a bright gold and it burned her hand with its red hot metal. She heard her own voice shouting as loud as it could. "Am I the protector?" it cried, over and over again in a never-ending whirlpool of words. The silence in the room seemed longer and longer. She began to feel dizzy. The world was spinning around and around inside her head. She collapsed onto the floor.  
  
"Veronica," Ned spoke softly. "Veronica, can you hear me? Are you alright?"  
  
She opened her eyes and felt her back against the cold, harsh wooded floor. She sat up, looking around the room. She was temporarily disorientated for the first time in her whole life. "Where am I?" she asked. She stood up slowly before raising a hand to the top of her head.  
  
"You took a nasty blow on the head there, Veronica, what happened?" asked Malone with concern.  
  
"I, I am the protector." She paused. "There was a light, a bright light, and then darkness and I could hear myself screaming and shouting." She paused again, not wanting to think about it. "You're right," she said to the strangers, "Last night wasn't a dream, it was all real." She looked around her, suddenly everything became so clear. "Challenger, you're alright!" she exclaimed. He looked a little perplexed. "Remember, we lost you through that time barrier?" She thought for a moment. "And Malone?" Then something daunted on her. "Where's Finn?"  
  
"Finn?" asked the woman. "How do you know Finn?"  
  
The explorers were dazed and astonished, not for the first time that day. "How do YOU know Finn?" they asked in unison.  
  
This day had been far too strange already. As they waited for the answer all they could do was look at each other in complete bewilderment. They had reached their limit, things couldn't things get anymore extraordinary. Well, so they thought. 


	3. Goodbye

Finally, Chapter 3 is here! Sorry it took so long I've had loadsa work to be handed in recently but I know that's no excuse lol!! Well firstly I wanna say thanks loads to Velma-Kelly-Online for all her help in this chapter and also TheChosenOne3!! *big hugs* ( I know it's kinda short but Chapter 4 has been started and should be on the way very soon! Well, hope you like it and don't forget to R&R!!  
  
CHAPTER 3  
*GOODBYE*  
  
"Finn? Well she's the five hundredth Protector, due to succeed you in about one hundred years from now. How do you know about her?" asked the very confused lady that still stood by the door.  
  
"Finn was here. She." Veronica stopped mid sentence. "Protector? Does that mean.?"  
  
"Your great, great granddaughter, yes," replied the guest.  
  
Veronica was stunned, speechless. Tears came to her eyes. Whether they were tears of joy or not she had no idea. She turned to Malone and he hugged her tightly. He had never really seen her like this before. She stood for a moment before reality returned. She wiped a tear from her eyes and proceeded to question the couple.  
  
"Where is she now?" she sniffed. "She was with us last night."  
  
"Last night everyone was returned to their rightful place," answered the woman tactfully. "Finn must have been returned to her time. How did she get here in the first place?" she asked, puzzled.  
  
"That's not important," answered Veronica firmly. "She was happy here. Do you have any idea what it's like in her time?"  
  
The woman looked down at the ground. This was not what she had come to discuss. She had no answer to Veronica's questioning. It was nothing to do with her. All she knew was that Finn was in the line of Protectors.  
  
"And why isn't she a Protector then?" continued Veronica. "Her family are dead, every one of them," she shouted. She paused. Ned pulled her back towards him. She stopped to calm down.  
  
"I don't know anything else, Veronica," replied the lady. "I'm sorry. I."  
  
The room was silenced as Marguerite walked slowly into the room. Her head was down. Her curls covered her face. She didn't want to see them. She wasn't ready. All attention turned to her. With everything that had been going on, everyone had forgotten the real reason the strangers were in the Treehouse. It came home to each and every one of them at that moment. They were about to lose one of their family, they were about to lose Marguerite.  
  
Roxton followed her, carrying her belongings. Neither of them spoke. They headed toward the elevator and stopped, placing her things down on the floor. She turned to see her parents. She looked at her mother for the first time. This was who she was. She had waited for this moment her whole life. She had imagined it to be far different from this. She was at one with herself but at the same time felt that anger penetrating from somewhere deep down inside her. "Don't think I'm doing this for you," she said in an icy voice. "There are innocent people who need me." Marguerite couldn't react. This wasn't reality, it was all so surreal.  
  
Her parents didn't know what to say. Of every time they had imagined this meeting to be, it had never been like this. She was more beautiful than they had ever imagined possible. Her mother remembered those eyes, the ones that had stared at her so longingly as they had taken her away. She was headstrong, like her mother had always been, and her father could see it in her eyes. They wanted to know so much about her, her life, her love, but they knew they had lost her. She would never care for them again like she had so long ago, when she had faith in people, trust.  
  
Marguerite took a deep breath before turning to say her last goodbyes. She wanted to stay with them, and more than anything she had wanted a life with Roxton. She looked slowly across the room at her friends, the only people she had ever truly cared about. Roxton caught her eye and she quickly looked away. This was going to be hard enough already without having to say goodbye to John again. Everyone was silent as she stepped towards them.  
  
First she moved to Ned Malone, the brother who had always thought highly of her. He smiled at her warm-heartedly. At this she gave in to her desire to embrace him. She took him into her arms and hugged him lovingly. "If the situation were any different I would never admit this, but you've become a brother to me. A bratty little brother but a brother none the less," she said attempting to sound cheerful.  
  
Her gaze moved to Veronica, her loving little sister. Tears were streaming down Veronica's face. Marguerite tenderly brushed them away and embraced her warmly. "I'll never forget you," she whispered. Tears were audible in her own voice but she did not let them fall. Not yet anyway. She did not want her last moments with them to be unhappy. She wanted to remember everything they had shown and given her. She was grateful for their love. A knot tightened in her throat as the two sisters tightened their embrace.  
  
"Funny how I never wanted any brothers or sisters, or even a family but now I don't know what I'm going to do without you all." She touched her forehead to Veronica's, and then steeped away. Veronica wiped away her tears without much success. She attempted to cheer up the atmosphere, "Now don't give them too much trouble Marguerite, we don't want to hear any complaints." She smiled and Marguerite smiled back. "Say goodbye to Finn for me." She paused. "She will come back, Veronica, be strong. I've left some things for you two," she said, attempting a happy tone. "Thank you," mouthed Veronica. It was all she could manage.  
  
Next Marguerite turned to Challenger. "Our turn," she whispered with a watery smile. Challenger smiled back at her attempt to sound cheerful. He loved the way that she never wanted to trouble anyone else with her problems, even though she urgently needed help. He took her face into his hands and kissed her forehead. "I'll miss you, my child, we all will." He took her into his arms and held her tightly, losing battle to his own tears. "Don't be afraid," he whispered. "You'll always be in my heart, Marguerite." She smiled again and looked lovingly into his face. "Goodbye, George. He'll never be as much of a father to me as you are," she said softly as she stepped from him.  
  
Slowly, Marguerite turned to Roxton without looking directly into his eyes. He took her hand and stared back at her. He wanted to give into to the impulses that were troubling his body. He wanted to hold her, kiss her and love her forever, but he knew how hard it would be to let go again. Marguerite didn't want to leave her family let alone her chance to have her very own family with this wonderful man. She couldn't do it again. She stepped back, slipping her hand out of his. "Goodbye Lord Roxton," she whispered, trying her hardest to salvage a smile as her voice caved with tears.  
  
As they stepped into the wooden elevator, Marguerite looked back at her home and her real family; the ones who had stood by her through everything, the good times and the bad, and the ones who had even forgiven her for her miserable lies. Now the tears were streaming down her face. Not just hers, but everyone's, except Roxton's. How could he even begin to feel, begin to believe that this was actually happening? He refused to believe, he refused to let it in.  
  
As the explorers watched, the elevator disappeared out of sight. Before long, they crowded the balcony, looking and following into the distance until she was gone. All this without a word. The room was silent, except for the gentle sobs of Veronica into Malone's shoulder. Today she had lost her two sisters, her two best friends. She had nowhere to turn. No one knew what to do. The world had stopped turning.  
  
Roxton sat down for a moment. All this had happened so fast. He just wanted to wake up and everything would be ok again. She would be in his arms. 'It must be a dream,' he kept thinking, but he knew it wasn't. Everything was so clear and it all made sense, well as much as it possibly could. "I love you, Marguerite," he muttered under his breath. Why hadn't he said that to her as she left? There were so many things he had wanted to say, but he had stood silent, and now it was too late. He couldn't believe she was gone, that he would never see her again.  
  
Soon, Malone became aware of Roxton's numbness. He moved from Veronica who was still staring from the balcony. As Malone approached, Roxton sat up.  
  
"Hi," volunteered Malone, sitting down beside him. There was silence for a moment.  
  
"I have to go after her."  
  
"What?" questioned Malone.  
  
"I have to go after her," repeated Roxton calmly.  
  
"Erm, are you sure? I mean she actually wants to do this, Roxton. Maybe you should think it through."  
  
Veronica, overhearing their conversation decided to go over to join them. She headed to the other side of Roxton and gently placed her hand gently on his back. "Roxton, I know this is gonna be hard, for all of us, but we have to let her do this. You don't wanna mess with her now she's made this decision, you'll be dinner." She said, trying to lighten the mood a little. It was worth a shot, but it didn't work. "It'll be ok," she continued.  
  
"How? How can anything EVER be the same?"  
  
"I didn't say."  
  
"Marguerite has gone, GONE," he barked. "FOREVER."  
  
He stood up, grabbing his rifles and making for the elevator.  
  
"Where are you going?" screamed Veronica.  
  
~ The end! Well the end of the chapter, obviously not the end of the story! You know what I mean!! I told you it was short, but R&R anyway, you know you want to!! *big smile* xx 


	4. Attack

Hey again everybody! Told you it wouldn't be long before chapter 4!  
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
*ATTACK*  
  
Veronica ran out of the Treehouse after Roxton. "Roxton, come back, you can't do this."  
  
He stopped in his tracks and turned to see Veronica. "Roxton, please," she said as she came to his side. "Please don't do this."  
  
~*****~  
  
Marguerite walked alongside her parents. They had been walking for what seemed like ages. None of them had spoken for the entire journey. Marguerite wanted to stop but refused to speak to her parents, so on they marched. Her parents had offered to take her bags but she had declined this offer saying that she could do things herself. They knew she was angry with them more than anything, but they wouldn't give up on her.  
  
It had seemed like forever since they left the Treehouse but it still hadn't sunk in to Marguerite that she would never see her friends again. Each time she saw a beetle she expected Challenger to pop out from behind a bush desperately stalking it, or she'd hear the sound of a distant raptor waiting to be shot by Roxton. It all seemed so strange.  
  
"Do you want to have a rest?" asked Marguerite's mother cautiously, aiming the question slightly more at her husband who she knew would answer.  
  
"Yes, we have been walking for quite a while now." He paused. "Is that alright Marguerite?"  
  
She shrugged and looked at him. "Fine," she said with a blank tone.  
  
They sat in a clearing without a word. After a while, her father tried to make conversation. "I know this is hard Marguerite but you have to understand." Marguerite stood up and turned away from them. Tears collected in her eyes. She just wanted to go home.  
  
"It's no good, Eamon, our little girl's grown up now, and she's not coming back," she whispered as she looked down at the ground. A tear came to her eye. Her husband took her in his arms.  
  
"It's not too late to start now, Elita." He smiled at her and she smiled back.  
  
Marguerite turned round to see her parents again. She saw the strong bond they shared, their love, their whole life. She had never had that choice, until now, but now it had gone again. Her mother became aware of her daughter's eyes and looked up at her. She saw that she was crying. Standing up, her mother moved towards her daughter and offered a smile. "I love you Marguerite, I always have," she whispered, carefully wrapping an arm around her daughter's waist. Marguerite was too upset to care. Her mother took her into her arms and held her. "I'm sorry," she said. Marguerite was almost ready to forgive her until she remembered her anger. She broke the embrace.  
  
"You think that it's all alright now do you? You take me away from my family, my real family, just so that I can save you? Do you have any idea what my life has been like? I was finally happy and now it's gone." As the reality of the situation set in, she began to break down. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. She sat down again.  
  
Her mother looked shocked. She sat next to her daughter and gently touched her back. "No, I don't have any idea what your life's been like, but I'd like to know." She paused. "That is if you can ever forgive me for what I did. I thought I was doing it for you, for your safety. I never wanted anything bad to happen to you. I just wanted you to be happy. We both did."  
  
~*****~  
  
Veronica sat down next to Roxton on a felled tree stump. She held him in her arms. "It's gonna be ok Roxton," she kept repeating, but she knew it would never be ok. She had seen the way they felt about each other from the moment she first met them. She saw the way they looked at each other so longingly day after day.  
  
"I love her, how can this happen?" he kept asking. She had never seen Roxton like this before. To her he had always been the strong backbone of the family, but she guessed that it was Marguerite who had held him up. They supported each other, held each other up. It had taken Roxton so long to gain Marguerite's trust. They were finally together and now this.  
  
Roxton's tears began to fall. Veronica held him tighter, trying to control her own emotions. She had to be strong for Roxton; right now nothing else mattered.  
  
~*****~  
  
Marguerite looked into the distance. Above the trees, she could make out a few buildings elevated on a small hill.  
  
"Is that the village?" she asked.  
  
She had decided to make some kind of effort. After all, this was going to be her family for the rest of her life. That thought filled her with grief and she pushed it out of mind. 'It could be worse,' she thought.  
  
~  
  
As they entered the village, Marguerite was overcome by their welcome. They were cheering and laughing, even though that night their village was promised with war. She felt fulfilment that she'd actually done something right, that people wanted her, that she was needed. She put on a smile but she wasn't in the mood for this at all. She just wanted to be alone. Her parents, sensing her mood did not stop to introduce her but continued to walk on to their home, Marguerite's home, for now anyway.  
  
They entered a large building to the right of the village. It was thatched and the walls were made of wood with stone supports. It reminded Marguerite of the Treehouse and the first time they had met Veronica. She smiled at the thought of the jungle princess and how she, herself, had reacted that day. That had turned out to be the best experience of her life. She wondered if this situation could ever be the same, could ever make her happy.  
  
They walked up some polished steps to the upper floor. They stopped outside an empty room, empty but carefully decorated. There was a four-poster bed in the middle and a beautiful diamond chandelier on the ceiling. The floor was carpeted with a soft, tasteful woollen rug. There were two wardrobes each with golden handles, and a large vanity desk that supported a stunning, silver coated mirror. For a moment Marguerite was lost in awe. 'This is the life,' she thought, before snapping back into the reality.  
  
"This will be your room until the wedding," presented Elita.  
  
Marguerite's heart leapt. She had temporarily forgotten about the wedding. Now it all came back to her. Her life had turned three-sixty degrees, flipped upside down in only one day, just as things were starting to settle at last.  
  
"We'll be just downstairs if you need anything," they assured her. With that, they turned away, her mother giving her a smile before walking back down the landing.  
  
Marguerite swallowed hard and flopped down on the bed. It had been a long day. She was finally content with who she was. Her anger for her parents had gone but she still felt they had betrayed her. Why had they waited until now before making contact? They had known she was on the plateau. Why had they waited until they needed her help? These questions would have to wait until later. Right now she desperately needed rest. She lay back and pushed her head into the pile of pillows collected at the end of her bed. She closed her eyes, trying to blank everything that had happened that day. Her body drifted into a restless sleep.  
  
~*****~  
  
Veronica and Roxton slowly headed back toward the Treehouse. They had been out for longer than either of them had thought, reminiscing about the good times (and the bad!) of Marguerite's time with them. After a lot of talking and even more crying, they finally decided that it would be best to head back before the others became worried about them. After all, they had left in quite a rush. Veronica had managed to get Roxton to see that life could go on without Marguerite but only because she would always be with him in his heart. Although Roxton had agreed with Veronica's loving words of support, he had no intention of leaving Marguerite now, even if she would always be 'in his heart.' In fact, he never would be truly ready to forget her, move on from her. It hurt him that she would be pushed to do that so quickly, marrying a stranger in return for the village's many lives. He was happy for her but at the same time a jealousy penetrated somewhere deep down. He had worked so hard to gain Marguerite's careful trust and now she had been taken from him in a second. He would never be able to live without her. He had to come up with a plan.  
  
As they walked with the day's events running through their heads, Veronica suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"Did you hear that?" she whispered, so quietly that Roxton had wondered if she had even spoken.  
  
"Hear what?" he replied.  
  
But before she could answer, rustling began through the nearby undergrowth, and before long the intruders came into view. They charged out of the jungle and into the path in front of the two walkers. There must have been about ten of them, all dressed in brown robes and carrying hefty swords. Immediately Veronica stepped back, addressing them with a violent kick as she flung herself backwards into the trees. Roxton alerted himself, quickly pulling out his gun, shooting rapidly into the air. The motion of the men quickly came to a halt as they looked at his weapon in awe. They looked longingly at their leader, waiting for a signal. The leader stepped forward, holding a hand up to his troops. He stepped slowly towards Roxton, his hands now above his head in a sign of amity. Roxton still held the rifle out directly in front of him, carefully watching the leader's every move.  
  
"What do you want?" asked Roxton in a solemn voice.  
  
~  
  
And I love to leave you hanging!! get the next chapter up by R&R ing!! (nothing like a bit of black-mail now and then!! Lol! ;-) ) 


	5. Hostage

CHAPTER 5  
  
*HOSTAGE*  
  
"I could ask the very same question of you," replied the man in a slow grave tone, "Now let's see, what do you want?" He paused as his voice echoed in the silence. "You see my name is Pentanious."  
  
Roxton looked up at the man. He recognised that name. If only he could remember where he had heard it. The man continued. "You don't happen to know of a village, The Land of the Protector?"  
  
It hit him "Marguerite," he shouted suddenly, raising his gun slightly. "What do you want with them?"  
  
"You know her?" asked the man, intrigued.  
  
"Way to go, Roxton," called Veronica from somewhere behind him.  
  
Roxton turned to glance at her. She was smiling, always a trait of hers even in these conditions, confident of herself and ready to fight. The men also turned to look at the jungle girl, puzzled by her secure outlook. Turning back to Roxton, the leader looked far more determined than before. He glared into Roxton's eyes.  
  
"So you know the woman who is putting me out of a job, do you? Well don't worry; she won't be around for much longer. Not once I get to that village anyway. No one will be around for long. Do you understand me?" He moved towards Roxton, retrieving a knife from a hidden pocket within his long garment. Roxton moved his gun forward.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," warned the man. "You're surrounded."  
  
Roxton looked desperately over toward Veronica for help. She stared at the circle of men in front of her. 'Nothing more than I've handled before,' she reassured herself. 'Only this time, they all have bladed knives.'  
  
She leapt forward, pushing three men to the ground at once. She leapt into the middle of the circle before flying back out, colliding with two men on the way, who abruptly fell to the floor. 'Well that's half of them gone' she thought.  
  
At Veronica's attack, the leader grabbed at Roxton, the knife against his neck. "Veronica?" he breathed. The leader grabbed the gun from his hands and placed it on the ground.  
  
"Now, where is she?" he jeered.  
  
"Where's who?" asked Roxton, as innocently as he could.  
  
"You know who I mean, don't mess with me," he cried with contempt. "I know she left this morning, so don't lie to me." The men encircled him, taking his hands behind his back and tying them tightly with a coarse rope. Veronica went to run, but before she could, one of the warriors seized her hair, pulling her rapidly backwards. "And you," hissed the leader, "tie her up too." She struggled to get free, kicking and constantly trying to flare her arms free of their tight grasp.  
  
"Let us go," she screamed. "We don't know anything, we don't even know who you are."  
  
"Well obviously your friend here knows something," replied the man, staring at Roxton as he jolted his hand up behind his back. Roxton grimaced in pain.  
  
"All Marguerite told me was your name and the name of the village. That's all I know, that's all she knew."  
  
The leader was about to answer, but suddenly he saw Veronica. Her face was familiar, a recent image of her popped into his mind, sorcery and dreams. 'The new Protector,' he thought, grinning to himself. "Veronica?" he muttered.  
  
"How the hell do you know my name?"  
  
"Why, are you not the new Protector?" he asked, patronisingly. Veronica looked down, shifting her legs to get free. "I'll take that as a yes," he scorned. The others laughed, mocking the woman. Veronica's anger stirred.  
  
"What do you want with us?" she yelled.  
  
"Hmmm, let me see, what do I want with you? Well you seem to know Marguerite very well. Is that not true?" He paused, his eyes suddenly lighting with pleasure. "Maybe we could use you as hostages."  
  
The group of men broke into shrill laughter and muttered between themselves. 


	6. Invasion

Another chapter, and yes it is short but the next chapter will be longer ( so anyways I hope you like it and pleeeeease R&R whether you like it or not!!  
  
CHAPTER 6  
*INVASION*  
  
Marguerite was to be kept safe away from the intruders as the invasion began. She was in her room where she had been told to stay. They would want to kill her; she was the only chance the whole village had. As she paced the room with impatience, she could clearly hear the screams of the people from outside her window. She had no idea how bad this invasion was going to be. She had been too taken with her own losses to care about it until now. She heard children calling for their parents as dusk began to fall; she heard the people's shrill cries to their loved ones. She was glad she had come, that she was able to help. But she was scared. Her windows had been boarded up. During the day, the light had crept through the cracks in the wooden planks, her only contact with the outside world. As sunset reared, she was slowly losing her calm.  
  
She lay down on the bed, the candle lamp glowing at her side. She listened to the sounds. Suddenly a clashing of knives could be heard. The village sounds stopped abruptly and a man's voice could be heard.  
  
"There's no use fighting us. You may have won this battle one too many times. But this time is different."  
  
Marguerite could hear nothing for a moment, but then a sharp slap. A woman screamed. "Get the hell off me," she jeered.  
  
Marguerite sat up. She knew that voice all too well. 'It can't be,' she thought to herself, sitting back on her hands. She continued to listen.  
  
"This woman is what your lives revolve around," he hissed, contemptuously. "This is your Protector."  
  
Marguerite stood up abruptly, peering out of the cracks at the twilight. She could just make out a crowd of people and sure enough there was Veronica, her hair in the hands of a large man. Marguerite desperately scanned the scene looking for answers. She couldn't let this happen. For her to be involved was one thing but for Veronica to have become involved was entirely different. She hadn't even known that Veronica was the Protector. She looked at the scene frantically, before something caught her eye, or rather someone. Roxton stood directly behind Veronica, almost out of view. For a moment Marguerite wondered whether she was in fact seeing things through this mirage of a window. She looked away and glanced again. She saw him clearly now. Without a moment's decision, Marguerite ran for the door and down the wooden landing, forgetting everything she had been told about staying out of reach.  
  
When she reached the stairs, she could her talking downstairs. The house was set slightly further back from the town, but was in a row of houses so that it couldn't be recognised as the Priest and Priestesses' home. Her parents were discussing something with the leader of the village's well- trained soldiers.  
  
"Marguerite?" they questioned as she approached. "Is everything alright?"  
  
Marguerite walked slowly down to them. "I know they have Veronica," she replied. "So don't lie to me."  
  
Her parents looked at each other. "No harm will come to her, Marguerite. They're just using her as a decoy. They want us to trade her for our lives." She looked at Marguerite. She could see that this wasn't helping. "We're discussing what to do about it right now. This is the leader of our army," she said, pointing toward the tall man standing by the door. "You don't happen to have any ideas do you?"  
  
Marguerite smiled. She hadn't lived with the others for nothing these past three years. With Veronica's tracking, Challenger's science and Roxton's well thought-out hunts, Marguerite had a pretty good idea about planning.  
  
~  
  
Roxton felt his back hit against the stone cold wall of the village prison. He fell to the ground and stared at his feet. Veronica had been taken away, to be kept somewhere secure where no one would find her. It was late. The day had seemed to drag on forever. A guard patrolled him as he sat in his dreary cage. Nothing had worked to get them away. 'Sure have raised a good force this time round,' he thought to himself. Slowly his eyes started to shut, but suddenly he saw a movement from the corner of his eye. He looked over at the dark corner of the cell. There, he could just about make out a dark shape.  
  
~  
  
Well that's all you're getting for now, but remember to R&R even if it's just to say you hate it ;-) corrections and helpful hints are always good too!! So press the review button now! ( xx 


	7. Child

Ok, so I've been reading some fics and noticed these disclaimers so I thought I wanna do one so I will! Disclaimer: I would love to own Marguerite, Roxton, Veronica, Malone, Challenger and Finn but sadly they belong to the TLW people ( BUT I do own Gemma (revealed v. shortly!!), and Marguerite's parents Elita and Eamon..  
  
7*CHILD*  
  
The shape moved in time with quiet sobs. Slowly, Roxton got up and moved over to the corner. The child looked up at him, fear in her eyes. She couldn't have been any older than six, her face glistening with tiny moonlit tears.  
  
Roxton bent to sit with the child but just at that moment, he heard a noise in the darkness outside their cage. There was a sharp crash of blades and the bang of Roxton's solitary gun that had been taken from him earlier that day.  
  
Moments later, a woman ran to the bars of the cell. In the dim light, it took Roxton a while to work out who it was.  
  
"Marguerite!"  
  
"Bloody hell Roxton, you get yourself into some terrible situations," she shouted as she pulled at the bars violently.  
  
"Nice to see you too my dear," he replied with sarcasm and a smile.  
  
He moved towards the bars. "How did you get in here?" he asked, looking at the guard who lay flat on the cold stone floor.  
  
"Long story, no time John," she muttered as she desperately searched around the desolate room for a key.  
  
"You might want to check the guard Marguerite," he said, pointing toward the ground.  
  
She moved to the man and carefully rolled him onto his front, shuffling her hands carelessly to find the keys.  
  
"Got them," she cried, leaping up and fumbling with the lock. "They fit!" Slowly the gate crept open. For a moment Marguerite stood back to stare at the man she thought she had lost. She smiled, a million thoughts running through her head. Suddenly she flung herself into him, her arms flying around his neck, her lips touching his. She pushed him back against the wall, pressing her body into his. "I love you John."  
  
"I love you," he replied. She took his hand tightly into hers as though she intended on never letting go.  
  
"See, she's come to save us, we're free now," he announced. Marguerite stared at him with a look of utter bewilderment. He casually pointed into the corner of the cell. Marguerite looked at Roxton and then moved carefully into the shadows. The girl was still weeping, her hands covering her face. Marguerite knelt down beside her as she gradually lifted her head. Slowly, Marguerite placed her arms around the child and swayed her comfortingly.  
  
"Everything's alright now," she whispered. "We're going to get you out of here and get you back to your family." Her words were loving and warm.  
  
The girl sat up. "My daddy was taken," she wept.  
  
Marguerite paused. "I'm sure he hasn't gone far," she replied sympathetically.  
  
"The bad men took him. They kill people."  
  
Marguerite looked to Roxton for help. "They're no match for our army," stated Roxton quietly as he crouched down next to Marguerite. "Did you know, this village has beaten those nasty men two thousand times?"  
  
"No, really?" said the little girl with a smile. "My daddy is fighting them tonight."  
  
"Well in that case, we're definitely going to win," comforted Roxton.  
  
The girl smiled momentarily. She paused to think for a moment. "Do you really love each other?" she asked casually.  
  
Roxton smiled. "Of course," he said, running a hand through Marguerite's hair.  
  
"When did you fall in love?" asked the little girl.  
  
"You're not nosey at all are you?" teased Marguerite.  
  
"Well, do you want the long or the short version?"  
  
"Long."  
  
"Sorry wrong choice I'm afraid, we really don't have time for that." Marguerite laughed at Roxton's portrayal of their time together, and how much he had battled for her love without surrender, even through her darkest secrets.  
  
The little girl smiled and moved into Marguerite who now sat down next to her. "Can we go now? I'm cold."  
  
Marguerite smiled at Roxton. "Come on then," she said as she lifted the little girl into her arms. The three began to walk slowly out of the cell toward the entrance of the tunnel. "You don't half ask a lot of questions do you?"  
  
"Daddy says I get that from mummy." She paused. "So what's your name?" she asked looking towards the tall man above her.  
  
"His name is John or Roxton, and my name is." She was cut short by the girl.  
  
"I know what your name is, everyone knows what your name is, you came to rescue us didn't you? You're the priestess." She looked up at Marguerite. "You're beautiful."  
  
Marguerite smiled. "Are we allowed to ask you questions then?"  
  
"If you like."  
  
"So what's your name?" asked Roxton.  
  
"Gemma,"  
  
"That's a lovely name," commented Marguerite. "So."  
  
"How come you have two names?"  
  
Roxton smiled lovingly at Marguerite. This was going to be a long night.  
  
~  
  
Ok so this was for all those M&R fans who just wouldn't let me split them up! But just how long can they stay together?? R&R and you might just find out!! 


	8. Escape

NOTE: Thank you for waiting so long for this chapter, I'm so sorry it has been aaaages, had exams lately and more to come so I'll be doing updates as much as I can so plz bear with me! If you've read the story before and can't remember what happens in the first 7 chapters, don't wanna read it all again and want a summary, I totally understand! email me at: ClucksDaDuck@aol.com and I'll send you a summary!  
  
Chapter 8  
  
*ESCAPE*  
  
As they reached the end of the dark prison tunnels, screaming and yelling could clearly be heard. Marguerite could feel Gemma's hand tighten around hers. She bent down to her level. "Don't be scared," she said, remembering Challenger's words. "You're going to be fine, we all are." Gemma smiled and Roxton smiled at her kind words, slipping an arm around her waist.  
  
Marguerite turned to Roxton. "Where's Veronica?"  
  
"She was taken from me, being kept somewhere safe as a hostage. She's the Protector."  
  
"Damn it, there's that plan gone. When did that happen? And how on earth did you two get here in the first place?" she whispered with a clear sense of urgency.  
  
"Long story, tell you later. Look, we have to get out of here."  
  
"The ever observant Lord Roxton," came Marguerite's sarcastic comment.  
  
"Glad to have the old Marguerite back."  
  
Roxton peered around the corner at the village. There were blazes everywhere. Houses and carts were burning. People were running to fetch their belongings before making for the forest as their last chance of survival.  
  
"We have to save Veronica. She's what these people live for, to protect her. If they think they can save her by giving their lives to Pentanious, they will."  
  
"And how do you intend on doing that Marguerite? No one even knows where she is."  
  
"Well, we thought she'd be in there with you, but obviously not." She paused. "Look lets just get out of here. The army are waiting around there as a distraction. They thought I'd be coming out with Veronica." She picked up the child and stepped out of the tunnel into the moonlit square.  
  
"Marguerite, what the hell are you doing, trying to get yourself killed or something?" cried Roxton as he pulled her back in.  
  
"They have to have a signal John," she replied patronisingly.  
  
Slowly, Roxton could hear the army advance into the square. People ran furiously to get out of the way of the battle. As they passed the cave, Marguerite made a sudden run for it, leaving Roxton in the entrance to fend for himself. He realised he had no choice but to follow Marguerite into the death zone.  
  
"Nice of you to let me in on the plan, Marguerite," he said as they reached the shelter of the large house nearby.  
  
"It's called instincts Roxton." She smiled. "Being a strong, muscular, handsome hunter, I thought you'd have realised that." Without waiting for a reply, she turned to Gemma. "Now to get you home," whispered Marguerite, looking down at the little girl who was staring at the scene in the square. Marguerite pulled her closer and turned her round. "Lets go inside shall we?"  
  
"Ok," replied the girl, hypnotised through her tears, by the blinding fires.  
  
The three walked in through the door and were met by Marguerite's anxious parents.  
  
"Did you find Veronica?" they cried urgently.  
  
Marguerite shook her head slowly. "She's being kept somewhere special, as a hostage, but no one knows where." "Don't you know all the places here?" she added.  
  
"Well, yes, but where to start, there are a million places they could have taken her, maybe even out of this village," sighed Elita. "The armies from our neighbouring villages will be here soon. They all believe in the cycle too. It's just Pentanious who doesn't, and his army. We should be alright once they all arrive." She said with optimism. She looked down at the bundle in Marguerite's arms. "Where did you get this little thing?" she asked, touching the girl's back lightly.  
  
"Her name's Gemma," replied Marguerite with a smile. "We found her in Roxton's cell. Her father's been taken. She must have been thrown in there for the sake of it."  
  
"They are cruel, I warn you, they'll do anything for success, even if it means killing innocent children, doing the unthinkable." She shook her head with contempt.  
  
"Well we're safe now aren't we Gemma? We'll have to get you home soon won't we?" reassured Roxton.  
  
"You can't go out tonight, I'm afraid," remarked her mother. "Seeing as our attempt to save Veronica has failed, I think we should stay here for the night and let the armies do the work. We'll take her back in the morning when things have calmed down a little."  
  
Marguerite was unsure of her mother's planning skills but could see how unsafe for the village it would be for her to venture out. If she were to be killed, everyone would die. This power was over whelming in her thoughts but she would not let it to her head. She was here to save the people, she meant something to someone, and her life was no longer a nothingness. She was loved. "Ok, so you're stuck with us tonight I'm afraid," she said smiling at Gemma in an attempt to cheer her up.  
  
"So who is this gentleman?" asked Elita, vaguely recognising his face.  
  
"This is Lord John Roxton," she announced, smiling at him. "He was part of the Challenger expedition too." She held his hand affectionately.  
  
Marguerite's mother looked at her warily. She could see the feelings these two people shared. She thought of Marguerite's imminent wedding. Elita broke her thoughts for the reality of the moment. "Well we'd better get some beds ready for these guests then."  
  
They marched upstairs and entered Marguerite's room. A small bed was dragged from one of the walls. "Is it alright if Gemma sleeps in your room? We don't want her getting scared."  
  
"Yes please ma'am," cried Gemma excitedly. Marguerite smiled at the little girl's loyalty to her family.  
  
They entered back onto the landing. "Now then Lord Roxton, we have a spare room in here," pointed Elita as they wondered down the wooden floor.  
  
"Oh, no it's all right, Roxton can sleep in my room," stated Marguerite, biting her smile away as she saw the look on her mother's face. She had missed this growing up, tormenting her parents would be so much fun!  
  
*~~~~~* Hopefully, hopefully Chapter 9 coming shortly, that is if anyone wants me to continue! xx 


	9. Parents

NOTE: Once again I am soooooo sorry this chapter has been so long in coming, forgive me, Please bear with me on this one!  
  
CHAPTER 9  
  
PARENTS  
  
"Oh please do it again, my daddy always does that before I go to bed, please," pleaded the little girl. Marguerite sat down on her bed and watched the comedy of the two together.  
  
"Ok but this is the last time," said Roxton as he lifted the little girl, spinning her round in his arms and then placed her back down onto her bed. "There, now go to sleep," he whispered, as he tucked her into her blankets. Her head drooped onto her pillow and soon she stared to breathe heavily, her eyes flickering in a dream state.  
  
"I think she's asleep," he commented as he turned to see Marguerite. "At last." He laughed at their little escapade with her.  
  
He walked over and sat next to her on the bed, placing an arm around her waist.  
  
"You're a natural," she said, teasing him with her beaming smile.  
  
"You know you're not so bad yourself, Miss Krux," he teased. She smiled faintly as she absorbed into her thoughts.  
  
Roxton casually slipped his arms around her, starting to kiss her neck. "I missed you," he whispered.  
  
~*****~  
  
Dawn arrived early through the cracks in the window panels. Marguerite stirred first, reaching out to Roxton who lay beside her. She grabbed his hand and lay comfortably on his chest before falling back into a dreamy sleep. Roxton awoke to find her soft hair covering his chest. He stroked it lovingly and placed a hand around her waist. She stirred, moving toward him.  
  
"Morning," he whispered.  
  
Marguerite flung her eyes opening wondering where on earth she was for a few moments, before her surroundings became familiar again. She looked up at Roxton, her body sticking slightly to his in the humid room. Suddenly she realised her state of dress and quickly pulled the covers over herself. Roxton smiled at her actions. 'One day she'll be comfortable with us,' he thought momentarily before waking into reality once again. He sat up, moving away from her slightly.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked, taken aback.  
  
"Nothing. Just that it's not always going to be like this. You'll be married to some man you don't even know and I'll have to leave you all over again."  
  
She looked at him, stroking his face. "But not right now, I want every moment with you to be special." He smiled at her and kissed her longingly before realising that they were being watched. He broke the kiss and looked over at the small bed in the corner.  
  
"Morning," he said cheerfully.  
  
Gemma placed her head back under the covers and sighed. "Obviously not a morning person," joked Roxton to Marguerite. "You know, I think I know somebody else like that." He smiled at her and tightened his arms around her waist. Suddenly a thought came to his mind. "You're not making breakfast this morning are you Marguerite? You know if you were we could always use the leftovers as poison for our invaders."  
  
"Very funny Roxton, I'd like to see you try and cook once in a while. Oh no, I'm sorry, Challenger banned you when you made coffee using one of his experiments."  
  
"It was a simple mistake Marguerite, how was I supposed to know Challenger had left dry beetle droppings in his mug?"  
  
She smiled at Challenger's antics. She was really going to miss this family.  
  
Roxton noticed Marguerite's sudden change in mood. "Are you alright?" he asked with concern.  
  
"I'm fine Roxton," she answered with oblige.  
  
"You know it's going to be alright," he comforted her, though he hadn't a clue how.  
  
"You know I have been married before John, I'm not exactly new to this."  
  
"I know, but..."  
  
"No John, you don't have a clue what marriage is." She sat up, making sure that she was covered. "And you have no idea what it does to you." She looked down, feeling a lump build down in her throat. "I don't want to John, I want to stay here with you, like this."  
  
Roxton looked at her, as she sat undressed in the bed. "Exactly like this?" he said, gently lightening the mood. He could see that Marguerite was finally letting go to him. Telling him things she had never told anyone before. Letting go of feelings and emotions that had been locked up inside her for so long. Just before he was to lose her.  
  
"John please there are children present," she said with a smile. "I just want things to go back to the way they were."  
  
"I know." He paused in thought. "You know, if we can fight off million year old T-Rexes, ape men, jungle savages and every other unknown thing else in this damn jungle, I'm sure we'll be able to fix this somehow." She smiled at his every ready optimism and then looked over at the lump in the bed sheets over in the corner.  
  
"Come on then Gem, get up and we can take you to your parents," begged Marguerite, as she pulled on her dressing gown and walked over to the bed. She smiled, remembering something. "Or else I'll be forced to get some water on you."  
  
"Ok then," she sighed reluctantly.  
  
After the three were up and dressed, they headed downstairs for an early breakfast before a day of searching. "I hope Veronica's alright," pondered Marguerite. "Did they say anything about where they were taking her?"  
  
"Not a thing," replied Roxton. "But we will find her." He looked at Marguerite, gripping her shoulders tightly.  
  
They moved into the small kitchen. It was early and the air was still cool. Elita was already up, a warm smell of meat rising from a pan. "Morning, it's nearly ready."  
  
Marguerite was not in the same mood she had been in the night before. She wasn't ready to talk to her mother unless she had that pressing question answered. Of course there was no way to ask it without simply asking it.  
  
"You know, we've been on this Plateau for about three years now," she stated, "Why did you only look for me now, now that you need me?"  
  
Marguerite's mother turned to stare at her. She certainly hadn't been expecting that one so early in the morning.  
  
She took Marguerite by the hand and sat down next to her at the table. "Marguerite," we had no idea that you were even on the plateau until now. We knew that you would have found your way here by the time of the new Protector but nobody knows when that day will come, not even the Protector." She looked at Marguerite's disbelieving eyes. "Even if we had known where you were we could never have found you, the only way we could find you was by your locket on the night of the Protector when the forces here are at their strongest." Marguerite was still wary of this tale.  
  
"I thought you had dreams, surely they would have shown you where I was?" She paused. "Or wasn't I important enough?" she asked receptively.  
  
"Marguerite, of course you're important." Elita reached to touch her daughter but held back when she saw the look on her face. "You were told why we gave you up weren't you?"  
  
"Yes, by what's-his-name, you know I don't even know his name, but there are just a few things I need clearing up."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Firstly, I don't see why you had to give me up, couldn't you have just taken me to the next village or disguised me, or something, until the war was over?"  
  
"Marguerite, I would have loved it to be as simple as that," she replied. "But when you were born Pentanious' father would not rest until he found you. He knew that with his small army he would never be able to beat us that time. He wanted his son to have the best possible chance. He would have stopped at nothing to kill you. He knew about the birthmark. He searched each baby in the five villages for you. When he found out we had sent you away to come back, well, he was furious. He was later killed by our men. That's why Pentanious wants to win so badly, in revenge of his father's death."  
  
Marguerite was momentarily overcome by all this information. "So my ability with languages?" she questioned.  
  
"That was to help you get back to the Plateau, it was all planned very carefully, it was your destiny. Veronica's mother gave you that power before you were sent away. It wasn't like we didn't try Marguerite; you lived here until you were ten months old. We loved you," she paused. "And we still do."  
  
Trying to hide a deceiving smile, Marguerite sat and stared into the open air for a while. Her and Veronica had been connected before they met on the Plateau three years ago. They had to find her soon. Suddenly she remembered another question she needed answering. "So this birthmark," she said fingering her shoulder blade. "What's that all about?"  
  
"Well, that's a whole different story, but if you have time?" She stood up and walked over to fetch the breakfast. As Elita approached with a tray of food, Marguerite silently nodded. "Well, you see, that's the family birth mark. It is burned onto our skin when we are born. It shows the Protector that we aren't the enemy, that we are here to look after them. If you ever have any children...."  
  
Marguerite stood up. "If you ever think I'm going to have children with that..., that man then you're mistaken." She calmed herself taking a deep breath. "I'm going to get ready."  
  
She ran back upstairs leaving Roxton and Elita in an uncomfortable silence. Roxton stood up, "I'll go make sure she's alright."  
  
Elita stood up suddenly. "No, let me, please," she asked compassionately.  
  
Roxton sat back down to his breakfast as he signalled with his hand for her to go. "She's all yours," he said as he smiled. Elita smiled back at him and walked slowly upstairs, contemplating what she would say.  
  
As she reached the door, she stopped, knocking quietly. "Can I come in," she asked. Silence.  
  
"Please Marguerite," she said as she opened the door slightly ajar. She could see her little girl sitting on the edge of her bed. She walked in further and Marguerite looked up. "Just leave me alone, like I should be, ok?" she attempted to shout through the lump in her throat.  
  
Her mother went to sit next to her on the bed. "You're not alone," she whispered, placing an arm around her daughter. "What about that young gentleman downstairs who thinks the world of you, Veronica, all your friends."  
  
Marguerite stood up. "You just don't seem to understand do you?" she shouted. "By coming here. I've lost everyone. Veronica, presuming we ever find her, has to stay in the Treehouse which is God knows how many miles from here, Malone and Challenger will stay there too, Finn's gone, and John...." she paused. "I have to marry someone else."  
  
Elita looked at a spot on the wall, not knowing what to say or do next. Then a story came to her mind. "You know I was just like you?" she whispered as she walked over to Marguerite.  
  
"I don't mean to sound pessimistic but somehow I don't think you've been married four times and widowed at the age of.... you know I don't even know how old I am. And I don't think you've lived without a family your whole life, without knowing your parents, why they abandoned you, why people keep leaving you, hurting you...." She trailed off, braking down in tears at the thought of her past life, before she had come to the plateau to finally find happiness. Her mother took her into her arms and gently stroked her daughter's hair.  
  
"Ok so maybe I haven't been through everything that you have, but that's all in the past now Marguerite and I'm so sorry that we had to take you away from your friends, but you have to understand it was the only way. It's meant to be this way. I know it's wrong. You know your father wasn't exactly my first choice either." She smiled as she reminisced. "No, I had my heights set much higher on the man I'd known from the stables, but that wasn't to be. I made such a fuss about marrying Eamon, I almost collapsed at the alter. But, it's not that bad, your father's no angel but I wouldn't change him for the world." She smiled at Marguerite who was looking at her warmly for the first time. "So you and Lord...?"  
  
"I love him," she whispered into her mother's shoulder, as they tightened their embrace.  
  
~****~  
  
Thanks for all your reviews, luv ya! Plz lemme know what you thought of this chapter! xx 


	10. Time

CHAPTER 10  
  
*TIME*  
  
pandagal – thanks again for reviewing and I'm one of those happy ending people too but you just never know what I might write next ;)  
  
nattie – thank you and in that case I think you might just enjoy chapter 10!  
  
I seem to have lost a few people along the way here! Where have you gone?! Come back!! Please? Pretty please???  
  
Yay we're into double figures, Chapter 10 at last! dedicated to all those Finn fans who just wouldn't let me forget her! you're about to embark on an adventure into the future, Have fun! (  
  
Finn lay with her head against the ground. Her hands were raised, covering her head, ready for impact. Suddenly the vehicle stopped. The forest was silent, for a moment she could even hear the birds. Just like it had been in 1920. Now, she could feel warm breath creeping down her neck and footsteps hitting the dry mud around her body. Suddenly there was tug at her hair and she found herself stood before a tall man. A blow to the head was enough to send her into unconsciousness.  
  
~*****~  
  
Challenger and Malone stood outside the cave, the same cave that had transported them to Finn in the first place. Though they had left the cave propelling through time, it now appeared as it had at first hence yet another mystery for the great George Challenger to solve. The past three days had been hell, constant searching and yelling for Roxton and Veronica. Each day they would wake up hoping to see them back in the kitchen again. They were both strong people, the strongest of the family. Surely they would make it back against anyone, especially since Veronica had become the Protector. Of course, Veronica had no idea of the powers she held; let alone how to use them. This thought had crossed Malone's mind more then once these past few days. Challenger had continued to stay positive but his thoughts were becoming less optimistic with each day that passed. They needed a tracker; someone who knew what they were doing, a scientist and a writer wasn't exactly the perfect search party. That was when they had come to their conclusion; they needed to get Finn back again. Whether they liked it or not, they would have to go back to 2033.  
  
As they entered the cave, Challenger glanced up at the cave smiling proudly inwards. This time travel was a first for mankind and he had discovered it. A lifetime's achievement in it's own right.  
  
"Now, Malone, if these calculations are correct, we should be back in 2033 in no time." He mumbled something to himself as he paced the cave, polishing the metal here and there. "There seems to be a window to Finn's time from this very cave, with exactly the right amount of the element to get us there," he announced. "This is most fascinating. If I am correct then different times may be reached using different amounts of the metal." He paused for a moment as though in deep thought. "The science of this plateau never ceases to amaze me. Not to mention that if we get Finn back, we could make a small but significant change to the space-time continuum and stop that violent war in the 21st century."  
  
Malone nodded in agreement, but his thoughts were set solely on Veronica. What if they never found her? After all, Veronica had always made fun of Finn's tracking skills. He knew it had only been a joke but what if it was true? They would be going back to get her for nothing. Well, not for nothing, they would have Finn back which was a huge bonus in itself, but right now he could do nothing but think of Veronica. There were so many thoughts running through his head.  
  
"Are you ready to have a go, Malone?" asked Challenger, noticing the absence on Malone's face.  
  
Malone ceased from his trance. "What? Er, yes, yes."  
  
"Good. Right then, you stand on this spot here," he mumbled as he carefully positioned Malone exactly in line with himself. "Finn we're coming for you," he shouted as the beams of brightness began to blind him.  
  
Before long they found themselves in a dark warp and then out into blinding sunlight. There was a barren field with a concrete path running through it. As they arrived, they could hear a roaring blare and they found themselves running, running for their lives.  
  
~*********~  
  
Challenger woke to find his head throbbing. He was on a cold, dampened floor, his back against a brick wall. Carefully he raised his head to look around at his surroundings. Peering around him, he could just about make out Malone on the floor in front of the opposite wall. As he widened his gaze, he realised that these surroundings seemed vaguely familiar. Just as contemplated this thought, he heard a voice nearby that startled him into a quick jump.  
  
"Morning Challenger," came a voice.  
  
As he turned and strained harder still, he could just about make out a face.  
  
"Finn?"  
  
"The very same."  
  
Confused, Challenger tried to stand but the dizziness reached his legs and he collapsed back down onto the hard concrete floor. Regaining himself, he attempted to puzzle over this phenomenon. "How did you get back here?" he asked.  
  
"I thought maybe you would know that, I have no clue, I was just in the Treehouse and then I found myself back here."  
  
"Wha.... What happened?" asked Malone as he too stirred out of unconsciousness.  
  
"You guys were brought in here by a couple of workers. I've been in here two days now, it's not so bad, there's food." She offered out a small piece of dark crusty bread. "It's hard as a rock but it's all we have. They'll be taking us to the fields soon."  
  
"Not if I can help it," replied Malone as he arduously tried to lift himself from the floor. He collapsed back down as his attempts clearly failed.  
  
"It's no use guys, I don't like to brag or anything but if there was a way out of this cell I think I would'a found it by now."  
  
"Yes, I suppose you're right," sighed the scientist.  
  
"Unless you care to check the composition of the cell walls again Challenger," joked Malone.  
  
"No, the walls here seems to be entirely made of brick just like in London," observed Challenger. Then suddenly something seemed to come to him. "Unless," he paused, "Unless that metal that we found in the cave has the correct properties to replace one of the elements in gunpowder. I've certainly never seen anything like it before but it appears to have the right qualities. Now, all we need is some water and I think I might just be able to do something to get us out of here."  
  
"Challenger I hate to blow your bubble here but I don't think blowing ourselves up is the answer here."  
  
"As much as I'd like to see you succeed again Challenger, I'm afraid I have to agree with Finn here," commented Malone.  
  
"Yes, it would be a bit a gamble. So what do you suggest?"  
  
"Look guys I told you there isn't a way, I've tried. Besides, they've taken all our weapons."  
  
"Not quite all," smiled Malone as he pulled out a pistol from the back pocket of his trousers.  
  
"You're a genius," cried Finn leaving Challenger feeling slightly miffed. "I didn't know you had in you."  
  
"I put it in there this morning for safe keeping, they must have just checked our bags."  
  
~  
  
The next day, the three prisoners were lying on the cold stone floor carefully thinking through a plan. It had been discovered that Malone's gun only held five bullets, and out of that two were gone, leaving the explorers only three bullets to get themselves to the 'travellers cave' and safely back to the 20th century.  
  
- END CHAPTER- sorry if this was a boring chapter, it was necessary I'm afraid! But still, keep letting me know what you thought, reviews really help me to keep going and improve it. ( 


	11. Connections

Sorry this one has taken forever but they should be a lot faster from now on since my exams are finally over and I have 2 months off for the summer! And just for the record, the name Eamon is in no way connected to the guy that sings that song!  
  
CHAPTER 11 CONNECTIONS  
  
Marguerite and Roxton moved through the desolate street before meeting the square at the centre. The devastation that the couple saw was more then anyone could have imagined. The village was gone; the ash that remained was the only reminder that one had existed at all. A few lonesome houses stood in the midst of the forest, their beams shattered and sheared. The child walked hand in hand with Roxton, looking around for her home, her family, anything. "It's all gone."  
  
"I'm sure your family are around here somewhere," reassured Marguerite. "Most of the warrior men have been defeated by your village."  
  
"Have we won?" asked Gemma, suddenly excited.  
  
"Well, no, they still have Veronica, the Protector, but...."  
  
"We're still at war," she interrupted. "Why?"  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"Why do people fight?"  
  
It was such an innocent question but it filled Marguerite heart with sadness. She didn't know why people had to fight, she didn't know why people had to die, she didn't know why the world had to be this way.  
  
Roxton noticed the sudden change of expression in Marguerite's face.  
  
"We will find your family Gemma." He tightened his grip around her tiny hand as he slipped an arm around Marguerite. They continued to walk until a large middle-aged man came running up towards them.  
  
"Gemma, Gemma?"  
  
Gemma looked at him, her face was blank. "My name is Gemma," she announced.  
  
"Oh, thank God," replied the man. "Gemma, your mother and brothers have left, they headed into the forest last night," he paused for breath. "They asked me to let them know if you were alive, oh _you're alive_," he cried. He quickly scooped her up in his arms. "I'm James by the way, a family friend." He directed his speech at the two adults. "I'm afraid I won't be able to relieve you of the little angel just yet," he continued. "I'm part of the Protector investigation. You do know about that right? Who are you? Oh my God, you're Marguerite."  
  
Marguerite restrained a smile at the man's antics. "Yes, and this is Lord John Roxton," she announced.  
  
"Oh pleased to meet you Lord Roxton." He reached out a hand, which Roxton impetuously shook. "What brings you here Lord?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much, I'm a.... close friend of Veron....., er, the Protector."  
  
"You've met the Protector?" he asked anxiously. Calming himself, he resumed to business. "You don't happen to have any information on the matter do you?"  
  
"Wish I did, sorry, as much as I'd like to old chap."  
  
"Oh well." he thought for a moment. "Gemma's mother told me that if I was to find her, I was to bring her to the entrance of the clearing tomorrow morning." He paused for a moment. "Oh yes, here," he stated breathlessly as he handed Roxton a tattered piece of paper. "I hope you don't mind, I'm awfully busy." Roxton stared back at the man blankly. "Well, better get back to it then." He placed the child back down beside the couple and stepped backwards down the road. "Well, nice meeting you," he cried, "You don't mind do you?"  
  
Before anyone could stifle an answer, he was already gone, back through the deserted rows of housing that were left standing ineptly around the village.  
  
Marguerite stifled a laugh. "See what I mean John, they're in love with Veronica." She remembered her sister for a moment. "We'll find her," she whispered. "And, we'll find your family too, did you hear that Gem, they're safe."  
  
"What about my daddy?"  
  
Marguerite looked down at the ground. "I'm sure he's fine too, he's probably helping to save Veronica." Gemma smiled.

* * *

Dusk had fallen. Marguerite, her family, Roxton and Gemma were inside the house, waiting for news of Veronica's whereabouts.  
  
"This is ridiculous," chanted Marguerite. "Why can't they find her? There are only a limited number of places she could be."  
  
"Calm down Marguerite, give them some time," ordered Roxton. The events were getting to the both of them. Despite their never-ending adventures of the plateau, neither had been ready for anything like this.  
  
"Time, time? They've had all bloody day," she shouted. Seeing the look on Gemma's face she regained herself. "Sorry, I'm sorry, it's just, this, all of this, is my fault. If I hadn't been here, and Veronica hadn't met me, and if I hadn't have.... If anything's happened to her..."  
  
Roxton stood up and put a gentle arm around her. He noticed the worried look on Elita's face as he showed his affection for their betrothed daughter. "Marguerite, how can this be your fault? If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I was the one that made her leave the safety of the Treehouse when I stupidly ran out. She came after me."  
  
Just then, there was a hollow knock at the wooden door. Eamon immediately went to answer it. The others listened intently from the sitting room.  
  
"Priest. We've located the Protector. She is in the West Tower of the Saints Church. May I have permission to order all of our men back to the village?"  
  
"Certainly," replied Eamon.  
  
Marguerite ran to the door. "How's Veronica?"  
  
"We're not sure, she's been up there a long time but she is still alive without a doubt," replied the leader of the army.  
  
"We're going to find her," stated Marguerite in a tone that even her father would have trouble disputing.  
  
Elita could see the hurt in Marguerite's face. When her and Abigail had been best friends, they had been inseparable until the day had come when Abigail had been taken away indefinitely. But at least she had always known that Abigail was safe. Marguerite had no idea how Veronica was or what she had been through.

* * *

Shortly after dawn the following morning, Roxton, Marguerite and Gemma set out to the clearing which had been mapped on the piece of paper the pair had received the day before. The commotion of last night's fighting had died down as Pentanious had ordered his men to return to their villages in search of new volunteers. As the three neared the edge of the village, Marguerite suddenly noticed a woman no older than herself coming towards them. As the woman neared, she seemed to start running. Soon she was yelling something incomprehensible which became clearer as she approached.  
  
"Gemma? Gemma? Is that you?"  
  
At first Gemma seemed to look around her, perplexed as to where this voice was coming from. As she turned and saw the figure that was now only a metre or so away, she instantly recognised the woman before her.  
  
"Mummy!"  
  
"Gemma, oh I'm so sorry darling, I didn't mean to leave you." She picked the little girl up and took her into her arms, absorbed in the moment. When she looked up, she did not expect the sight that stood before her.  
  
"John?"  
  
"Louisa?"  
  
end! 

Believe me I do try to control my desire to leave cliffhangers,, sigh........................


	12. Secrets

CHAPTER 12

**Secrets**

The pair looked at each other in disbelief, too shocked to speak or even move.

"You two know each other?" questioned Marguerite apprehensively.

For a moment there was silence. "John?" pushed Marguerite. "What's going on?"

Roxton broke his glare seemingly in a snap back to the reality of the situation. "Er, Marguerite, this is Louisa Hayward. Louisa, this is Marguerite Krux."

The woman held out a hand towards Marguerite who in turn took it warily, all the time watching Roxton.

"Louisa and I, we're....er.... old friends," started Roxton.

"Oh come on John, we both know it was much more than that," replied Louisa as Roxton glared at her in response. She continued, "John and I were engaged, about eight years ago now."

"Yes, er...." stammered Roxton.

"We would still be together if it weren't for this little one," she said as she looked down at the little girl now in her arms. Her voice was soft but haughty. "Yes, John, she is yours. You must understand, I had to leave, as soon as I found out I was pregnant; I knew you weren't ready to be a father. And Charles, he offered me everything, a father for the child, an endless amount of money." She was cut short as she noticed the look on Marguerite's face. "Don't worry Marguerite, it's not like there's anything between us, I'm married now, what else do you think I'm doing on this god-forsaken plateau?"

Marguerite couldn't believe what she had just heard. How could Roxton have failed to tell her that he had been engaged? He was the love of her life, she had told him everything. All of her secrets and feelings she had shared with him and with each one she had felt more and more guilty. But she had trusted him and now she felt a pain inside her. That pain she had once held when the group had first arrived on the plateau had come back to haunt her once again. Hurt, neglect, betrayal. And he had a child?

She couldn't let him see her like this. She couldn't show him that she'd given everything to him. She had been in similar situations before; she knew exactly what had to be done. She needed to move on and forget.

But this time was different, she was in love and she couldn't get away that easily. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes. Suddenly she could feel herself running away, her hands covering her face. In the distance she could hear a voice shouting her name but as much as she wanted to, she wouldn't turn back.

As she reached her home, she rushed past her mother who was sitting in the kitchen still waiting for news on the next invasion. She ran up the wooden steps until she reached her room where she finally stopped, collapsing onto her bed.

'How could I have been so stupid, to think that he would trust me, that anyone would trust **me** enough to tell me their deepest secrets?'

Dusk was falling and Marguerite remained curled up on the bed. By now her eyes were red and puffy from crying in a dreamless sleep. She awoke to a knock on the door.

"Marguerite? Are you awake?" It was her mother's voice. "The Lord has been waiting down here for some time. He wants to talk to you."

Marguerite sat up, remembering the day's events that she had hoped had been nothing more than a dream. She calmed herself before she spoke. "Tell him there's nothing to talk about." She paused for a moment.

Her mother opened the door and sat next to her daughter on the bed. "Now I don't know what's going on here but I know how much you two love each other and I know that you can't let it end this way. Just let him talk to you."

"What does it matter anyway, I'm marrying someone else tomorrow remember?"

"I know Marguerite but you can't let it end like this. It might help you to get over the heartbreak of leaving him now, but in the future you'll regret it. You need to say goodbye at least."

"Why does it matter to you anyway?" inquired Marguerite.

"Because I care about you, you're my little girl, and to see you hurting like this is awful. When you two are together it breaks my heart to know that I'm the one that has to tear you apart."

Marguerite felt the wooden planks creak beneath her feet as she walked slowly down the landing to the top of the stairs. As she reached out for the handrail she took a deep breath, willing herself not to get angry but to listen to what Roxton had to say.

She carefully began to make her way down the steps, peering down into the kitchen as she went. She sighed with relief as she noticed that Louisa wasn't in the room. Roxton had Gemma sitting on his lap bobbing her up and down on his knee. She suddenly remembered the night before and how good he was with her. She had known that one day he would make a wonderful father but she hadn't known how soon that day would come. Of course, at one point she had hoped that he would father her own children, but she now knew for sure that her vision wasn't to be.


	13. Trapped

Oh I'm so bad, I can't believe how long its been! Thank u to all my reviewers who have stuck with me! I'm sorry it's been soooo long! xx

CHAPTER 13

Trapped

Veronica sat in the small room she had been allocated at the top of the West Tower. It consisted of a small bed, a rounded table and large wooden chair. It was dark and the room was cold as the shadows of sunset cast on the village. Little light ever reached the tower through the tiny cracks of the roof. Even in the daylight a chill ran through. Three times a day someone would offer her a meal of fruit and vegetables. Water was constantly available and they had even given her a blanket for the cold chill of night. They wanted her alive and healthy. She was their only hope at winning this ever-returning battle.

As she contemplated life day after day in the darkness of the tower, she realised that she was beginning to think more and more about Ned Malone, the man who had stolen her heart. She began to realise that she had lost him too many times and now that he was back at the Treehouse, she was determined to get back to him and tell him how she really felt. As the moonlight began to seep in through the cracked shafts in the roof, she realised that since she had become Protector she felt no different. She wondered if she would ever find out what being Protector meant, whether she would ever find out what powers she held, and she wondered who would answer these questions. Deep in her heart, she still hoped that her mother would come for her, would rescue her at any moment.

Just then, the door opened and was quickly shut and locked once again. She found that a candle had been placed by the door, along with a small cup of water. She picked up the offerings and went to lie on the undersized bed, which was placed next to the furthest wall. She had contemplated escape many times each day but the door was opened and closed so quickly that she barely had time to rise before her chance was over. The door itself was impossible to break for the room had been designed to house the Priest and Priestess in times such as these. Momentarily she wondered who the Priest and Priestess were and where they were staying now that their room was occupied.

Before long she found herself asleep and once again dreaming about Ned Malone.

Forward to……. 2033

"Right, so we all know what we're doing. Challenger you distract him, Finn you get yourself and Challenger out of here, and I have the gun."

"Malone, you've been through the plan six times already, the gun knows the plan by now," sighed Finn.

"Right," said Malone, looking toward the door.

"Anytime now," said Finn.

The three waited anxiously in the silence.

They waited in the silence, their hearts pumping, each moment expecting that door to creak open. Suddenly it did just that. The three sat there as though anxiously awaiting their food. They waited until their food had been placed in front of them and only then did Challenger speak.

"Excuse me," said Challenger, "You do know that the food you're giving us contains mild traces of natural gold? I'm a scientist and I've been investigating it in my spare time." The man closed the door behind him so as the inhabitants could not escape. However, the idea of locking it escaped his memory as he wondered over to see the food for himself. "See, look, here," continued Challenger.

Meanwhile Malone and Finn had opened the door with a creak. They froze as the officer turned around. Finn leapt forward but before she could get to him he had grabbed her. "I'm not letting you get away again Finn," he yelled. But his remark was cut short as Challenger jabbed a large slab from the jagged floor into his back. He fell to the ground, leaving Finn free to run.

"Good work Challenger," cried Malone as he ran from the enclosure.

"Yeah, thanks Challenger," smiled Finn.

"We'd best take the path through the city, they're less likely to see us there among the rubble," stated Challenger.

The three of them headed through the city ruins. They passed through rubble of all kinds; bricks, metal, plastic, remains of things in a place that people had once called home. A surreal parallel to the world their friends were now encountering back on the plateau. Finally they came to the end of a long alleyway and the cave was once again in view across the dusty slavers road where Finn and Veronica had first encountered the automobile.

"This is the hardest part," whispered Finn. "They go up and down that road at least a hundred times a day, I've never made it across before, there's always at least one of them there hiding and waiting for someone to show up. There's no easy way across. I guess we're just gonna have to take a chance.

A little short I know but there's more to come! Please review good or bad!


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